Meeting The Family
by sweetlilfighter
Summary: Kerry and Sandy take a trip to visit Sandy's family. Will come in parts. Please R&R. Part 8 now up.
1. Part One

Kerry slowly stepped into her apartment. Sighing heavily, she deposited her keys and workbag onto the small stand next to the door, then after kicking off her shoes and hanging her jacket, she limped over to the sofa and dropped onto it. She welcomed the way she sank into the cushions, loving the feel of their softness as they enveloped her.

With another heavy sigh, she thought back over her day. One just like all the others: Hectic, long, tiring, filled with many confrontations and subordinates who were always disrespectful of her. Everyone disliked her, she knew that. It was certainly made no secret. The nurses always had something to say about her when her back was turned. She heard every word said, she had great ears, not to mention the fact that their "whispering" skills needed much work.

Then of course there was her biggest headache: Robert Romano. He was, perhaps, the largest pain in the ass ever conceived. After his accident, or moment of poor judgment, as she thought of it (really, how could a guy who saves lives everyday by performing brilliant surgery then stand up underneath the rear rotary of a helicopter?), she had taken over his job out of necessity when no one else had stepped up to help. And since then Romano had treated her as nothing more then a Trojan horse. She was a threat to his career therefore she was the enemy. In his arrogant little world it wasn't his newly re-attached severed arm that kept him from his job, it was her, and he let her know exactly how he felt about that by refusing to cooperate with her on administrative matters.

Sighing heavily for a third time she looked at her watch, Sandy was due home any moment she realized. She suddenly found herself smiling in anticipation, the stress of the day forgotten. She was lucky to have someone like Sandy: Beautiful, smart, funny, and incredibly strong. "The one good thing in my life," she thought. Coming home to Sandy made her day that much better. Not to mention that as of now both of them were on a weeks vacation, with plans to drive up to New York to visit Sandy's family. It would be Kerry's first time meeting them and she was nervous. She wondered what her colleagues would think seeing Dr. Weaver, the tough-as-nails ER Chief -cum- temporary Chief Of Staff, nervous over meeting a few people. They'd probably get a good laugh over it, she supposed.

At the sound of keys in the lock, Kerry wearily lifted herself off the couch and grabbed her crutch. She made her way to the door just as Sandy was closing it behind herself. Looking up the firefighter greeted her partner with a brilliant smile.

"Hey there beautiful," she called as she kicked off her shoes and shimmied her way out of her jacket. "How was your day?" Upon closer inspection she could see the signs of fatigue that played heavily across Kerry's face. "Hmm, not so good I take it."

Kerry just shrugged, "Same as usual" was her reply, before she enveloped Sandy in her arms and kissed her lips. Then pulling only slightly apart to look at her, she continued, "How about your day?"

"One real fire," she replied, then kissed Kerry gently, "two false alarms," another kiss slightly deeper "and a lady locked in her bathroom." a third kiss more passionate then the previous, "All in all a pretty slow day." She brushed Kerry's hair back and stared at her lovingly.

Kerry looked down, she could feel herself blush. She never got tired of being kissed and held by Sandy. They had been together for two years now and she still melted under the loving gaze of her partner. Sometimes she still wondered what good deed she had done to deserve such a wonderful woman. She felt lips against her ear and surrendered to the sensations that ran through her, giving up her control and allowing herself to be supported as she leaned against her lover.

"You are very beautiful when you blush," the lips gently whispered to her before engulfing her earlobe. Kerry let the sensations take over for a few moments more before asserting great will power and pulling away.

"As much as I'd love for you to continue doing that, we really should finish packing," she sighed. "I want to leave as early as possible in the morning."

Sandy grinned and grabbed Kerry's hand. "I actually finished the packing after you left this morning."

"Really?" Kerry was a bit surprised.

"Yeah. There was something I wanted to do tonight instead."

There was no playfulness to what Sandy had just said. Kerry could tell by the serious look on her face that it was something important.

"What is it?" she asked.

Sandy tugged her hand and led her back to the couch, nodding for her to sit. Once Kerry had done as instructed, Sandy sat down on the coffee table in front of her. Kerry held her breath, suddenly nervous over what was to come.

"I'm not good at speeches or anything, and I'm nervous as hell right now," Sandy began, smiling "so don't hold it against me if I screw this up."

She reached into her pocket and brought out a small velvet box. Kerry let out her breath and immediately sucked it back in with a small gasp of delight. Sandy noticed and her grin grew even bigger.

"I've been planning this for a while now," she continued "but I hadn't found the right moment to ask you. This morning I decided it should be tonight, that way we'd have something to spring on my parents."

She chuckled slightly on that last sentence. Kerry would have too if her throat wasn't tight and her mind wasn't blown. She just smiled instead.

"So anyway," Sandy continued once again, as she opened the small box revealing two shiny gold bands. "I know right now we can't legally get married, but we can still exchange rings to let people know that we are together. It would be more symbolic then anything. And maybe down the road we could have a wedding ceremony. Of course that would only be symbolic as well. We could invite our friends and family, even some of our colleagues…" she trailed off when she felt Kerry's finger against her lips, realizing she had been rambling.

"Just ask me already, before I decide to ask you instead," Kerry whispered.

"Right," Sandy blushed. Taking a band from the box she slid it gently onto Kerry's ring finger. "Will you marry me, and spend the rest of your life with me?"

Kerry fingered the beautiful new ornament on her finger before reaching over and taking hold of Sandy's face.

"Of course," she breathed before engaging her partner, no, her wife, in a passionate kiss. After a few moments she pulled away slightly. Taking the other band from the box, she held Sandy's hand in her lap as she slid the ring onto her finger. "There, now we match," she smiled, wrapping Sandy in a big hug. Closing her eyes she realized that life was suddenly wonderful.


	2. Part Two

The next morning the two women woke later then planned, both blissfully tired from a night of tender lovemaking. Standing in the shower, Kerry smiled as she gazed at her new gold band, musing that last night has essentially been their wedding night, and this trip their honeymoon. Since the ring exchange she hadn't been able to wipe the dopey grin off her face, she was that happy. As a matter of fact she couldn't remember a time when she ever felt this happy. It was a pretty new and scary feeling. Scary for the people she worked with anyway. Unless something happened on this trip to break her good mood, she'd still be on this high well after returning to work.

Kerry Weaver in a good mood? She laughed inwardly as she could just imagine her coworker's reactions. She could hear Frank now, leaning close to anyone, and in a hushed tone ask if they should be worried. Yes, she would defiantly send them all for a loop.

Finishing her shower and dressing, she made her way to the kitchen where Sandy had just finished preparing a breakfast of eggs, toast and fried potatoes. It smelled heavenly. The two ate in comfortable silence, both apprehensive and excited over their trip. Arrangements had been made for Stinky to stay at the firehouse, knowing Sandy's buddies would take good care of the mangy old dog, and mail was being collected by a neighbor. Kerry had seen to all of this, managing the tasks in the same way she ran the ER: quickly and efficiently, and Sandy had to laugh at her no-nonsense approach to everything.

After breakfast, and Sandy's shower, they packed up the car and started on their way. Kerry took the first driving shift, as she knew the longer she stayed in the car, the more cramped her leg would become, and then driving would be next to impossible.

The day went by pretty uneventfully. As predicted, Kerry's leg had cramped up rather badly, and she spent most of the time alleviating the pain by reclining the passenger seat which allowed her to stretch her legs a bit. Unfortunately that left Sandy with most of the driving. They drove for as long as possible, though Kerry's need for frequent rest stops made the normally 13 hour drive take much longer. But that was fine for both of them, as they enjoyed just spending the time together.

Around eleven the first night, Sandy's droopy eyelids had forced them to stop and seek out a place to spend the night. They had settled on a fairly nice little inside-access hotel that looked pretty clean and up-kept. Finding an empty spot to park, they unloaded the necessities, and entered the lobby together.

The place was your usual run-of-the-mill road side hotel. While it was very clean for what it was, it certainly was no Hilton. The floor was covered in an ugly beige tile and the walls were all painted out white. It reminded Kerry too much of County. The lobby was fairly small, but the set-up was rather comfy. A larger fireplace adorned the back wall, and in front of it were three beige sofas arranged in an open square. At the center was a large mahogany coffee table with a smattering of books and magazines. There were a few fake plants scattered in various places around the room, and cheap department store paintings covered the walls.

The two women stood at the empty desk and Sandy tapped the small service bell for assistance. From the back room an unhappy grunt could be heard before the clerk appeared, looking mildly irritated. Their attention was immediately drawn to his colorful outfit, which screamed 'pimp'. Aside from that, he was the spitting image of John Waters, complete with the pencil drawn moustache. Thin black eyebrows sat atop a long face, and his thinning black hair was slicked back. Sandy smiled to herself as she thought he alone kept the hair gel companies in business. As he approached he took a good two minutes to appraise the two strangers before sniffing his pointy nose in cocky arrogance.

"How can I help you?" he asked in a rather unpleasant, squeaky voice. His tone let them know they had just interrupted something important. Sandy guessed he had probably been back there trying to get the porn channel in focus on the small TV she could see just over his shoulder. She had only been around this guy for not five minutes and he had already managed to piss her off. She was just getting ready to let him know that, too, when she felt Kerry's hand on her arm. Looking over at her partner she could see her amused, yet pleading expression. She could tell by the way Kerry was leaning on her crutch that she was still in pain, and the sooner they got a room, the better. Sandy bit her cheek and, plastering on a brilliant fake smile, made a show of reading the clerks name tag.

"Well, Burke," she began "I think it's quite obvious how you can help us. We would like a room. You do rent rooms here at this hotel, do you not?"

"Of course," Burke hissed, narrowing his eyes a bit "Though I'm afraid we don't have any vacant doubles, or adjoining singles."

Sandy could hear the challenge in his words and, with eyes flashing, hissed right back "One single will be fine. And we don't need a cot either."

Burke paused a moment, taking in the implications of Sandy's words. Then he eyed both women before raising an eyebrow and grinning rather lasciviously. The two women rolled their eyes in unison.

After that he had been more then happy to help them. He had quickly checked them into a room, and, with a wink, let them know that, should they need assistance with anything, he would personally see to their needs. They had politely thanked him, though making it clear they would not need anything from him, then headed for their room.

Once inside, Sandy engaged all the locks, including the slide chain, and then for good measure wedged one of the heavy chairs underneath the door knob. Seeing the odd look Kerry cast her way, she reasoned with her.

"Gomez down there seemed a little too friendly, and knowing he has access to the master key…I feel safer this way." Then she straightened up and continued, "Not that I couldn't take him or anything."

"I know sweetheart, you'd wipe the floor with him," Kerry mockingly soothed as she kicked off her shoes and stretched out luxuriously across the bed. "I assume now you plan to check the room for bugs and hidden cameras?"

"Of course not," Sandy replied as she launched herself onto the bed next to her wife. "From the way our good buddy Burke pushed for us to take his 'Best Suite', which of course I'm assuming is code for 'Lesbian Room of Love', I'm guessing all the surveillance equipment is in there."

Both women chuckled.

Later they had both changed into their sleeping attire and crawled back onto the bed, this time under the covers. Sandy lay facing the door, still somewhat cautious, while Kerry curled up behind her, wrapping an arm around her and pulling the firefighter tight against herself. Moments later they were fast asleep.

The incessant beeping of Kerry's watch alarm woke them both up. The sunlight persistently tried to find it's way through the closed curtains, causing a bright glow all the way around the window. They lay there for a few minutes just enjoying the perfection of the moment until they heard a door down the hall slam and an army of people laughing and carrying on go by.

"We should probably resume our journey," Sandy whispered as she rolled over to give Kerry a good morning kiss.

An hour later, freshly showered and dressed, they loaded up their stuff, checked out, and were on their way. A quick stop for breakfast and they were back on the road again.

"I think Burke was sad to see us go," Kerry mused aloud as she fiddled with the radio.

"I think Burke was sad we didn't stay in his 'Best Suite'," Sandy giggled.

Kerry settled on a station and rested her head back against the seat. Turning slightly she studied her partner's profile.

"So why is it that your family lives in New York and you live in Illinois?" she asked after a moment.

Sandy thought a bit before replying. "I moved because of college, and stayed because of a girl." She paused, then continued, "Even though it didn't work out with the girl, I had already established a life in Chicago so I decided to stay."

Kerry was quiet a moment. Reaching over and grabbing Sandy's free hand, she brought it to her lips, then cradled it in her lap. "I'm glad you did," she smiled.

"Me too," Sandy echoed, smiling and giving Kerry's hand a gentle squeeze.

End Part Two.


	3. Part Three

The drive carried on peacefully, and Kerry found herself deep in thought over an article she had read earlier. The subject was on gay and lesbian adoptions and it had really given her something to think about. She still wanted a child, but she wasn't ready to try carrying again. She didn't think she'd be able to handle losing another baby. Having Sandy carry was out of the question, and she had come to respect her partner's wishes on the subject. As much as she still wished Sandy would change her mind, she knew it would never happen, and she wasn't going to push. She had been wrong to push the first time she had suggested it, and had almost lost Sandy because of her own thoughtlessness.

Now, after reading that article, there was this whole new angle she hadn't considered before. While the idea of bringing to term her very own baby was wonderful, it was time for her to start thinking rationally. She wasn't getting any younger, and if her body was rejecting the idea now, her chances only got worse each passing day. Besides, there were millions of kids out there lost in foster care limbo, and having gone through that herself as a child, it made perfect sense to consider adoption.

Of course this would all need to be discussed with Sandy. They were married now and decisions had to be made together. They were still hours away from their destination, so Kerry decided that now was as good a time as any to broach the subject. Reaching over to silence the radio, Kerry turned slightly in her seat so she was facing Sandy.

"I want to talk to you about something," she announced.

Sandy glanced over, taking in Kerry's rather serious expression she mentally braced herself for what was to come.

"I'm listening," she replied.

"Okay," Kerry began, "before I get into it, I just want you to know that I'm not making any demands, I'm just throwing an idea out on the table."

"Kerry," Sandy sighed impatiently, "is this about a baby?"

"Yes."

"We've already been over this. You know how I feel about carrying…"

"I do," Kerry interrupted. "I know how you feel, and I respect that. That's not what I wanted to talk about."

Sandy's face softened, "What, then?"

"I was thinking that maybe we should adopt." was the reply. When Sandy didn't immediately respond, Kerry continued. "I know my chances of carrying to term are minimal, and quite frankly I'm scared to even try again. That leaves us with few options. I respect that you don't want to carry, so I was thinking adoption is probably the best way to go." She paused. "That is, if you still want a baby. I guess I'm just assuming you want this as much as I do. Do you?"

Sandy thought about that for a few moments. Did she want a baby? Part of her did. There was no denying the fact that she had been pleased over the first pregnancy. Now that she and Kerry had committed themselves to each other, part of her really wanted to build a family. She'd enjoy having a little one to dote on, to buy toy fire engines for and teach all about fire fighting. Then there was the practical part of her that wondered how they'd manage a baby. Their hours were crazy, their shifts were long, and neither woman really wanted to give up their work. Sandy loved her job, and she knew Kerry was obsessively committed to her own. What would be the point of adopting a child if they'd have to rely on daycare to raise it?

"I don't know Kerry," she began, "I mean, sure it sounds nice, but a baby is a lot of work, and where would we find the time to raise it? I don't want to give up my job, and I'm sure you don't want to give up yours."

"We'd work something out," Kerry replied diplomatically. "I can make accommodations. No, I don't want to give up my career, but I also don't need it as badly as I once did. Before you it was the only thing I had; now it's not the be all and end all of my existence. I can use daycare while I'm in traumas or working with patients, and I can look after the baby when I'm doing paperwork. I'll find a way to cut back on my hours. I'm willing to make sacrifices."

Sandy couldn't believe her ears. Never in a million years had she expected to hear Kerry Weaver offer to make sacrifices in her career for anything. She remained silent for a few minutes digesting everything.

"What are you thinking?" Kerry whispered, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

In an equally soft tone Sandy responded "All that aside, there's still the challenge of lesbian adoption. Two women adopting and raising a child is still looked down on. Are you prepared for that kind of unfair rejection?"

"Yes," was Kerry's reply. "The subject isn't as taboo as you think. I was reading an article earlier on the subject. It said that Illinois is one of the more advanced states when it comes to gay adoptions, and Cook County in particular is good about granting adoption to same sex co-parents. All we need is the right adoption agency, and a good family lawyer, and it should be okay. We'd both be able to adopt. It may take some time, but we could do it."

Sandy looked thoughtful. "You've given me a lot to think about," she started carefully, "We really need to talk about it some more, and I think maybe we should wait until we get back home. Okay?"

Kerry felt a slight twinge of disappointment, but she nodded in agreement. After all, Sandy had not come right out and refused the idea. Maybe there was hope. Turning back around in her seat she smiled.

End Part Three


	4. Part Four

An hour passed, and with a sigh of relief the ladies pulled their car into a large parking garage at about one in the afternoon. Kerry had made reservations for them at a pretty fancy hotel about fifteen minutes from Sandy's childhood home.

An offer to stay in the guestroom had been made by Sandy's parents, but Sandy had declined knowing that her grandfather, who lived in the very same house, wouldn't be very comfortable with those arrangements. He was the one who had given the most resistance when she had first come out to her family. Even now, years later, although he had made an effort to accept her, he let her know that he didn't condone her lifestyle.

Assuming he would at least try to make an effort to be around during their visit, she knew it would be very awkward introducing him to Kerry, even more so when she announced their union. Smiling she mused that poor Gramps would have a heart attack if she were to also inform him that she and Kerry were discussing adoption.

Collecting their luggage, they made their way inside. Upon entering the large elegant lobby, Sandy stopped walking and gawked. Never had she been in such a fancy hotel before. The place was huge. The ceiling was so high she knew just changing a light bulb was a full time job.

"Kerry," she exclaimed, "how much are we paying for this?!"

"Enough," came her partner's reply. "I've had money saved up, and I wanted to treat you to the best. Our room even comes with a hot tub."

Sandy fixed her love with a seductive gaze, "Hot tub you say?"

"Stop that," Kerry blushed, then composed herself, "Come on, let's go check in."

After a short wait in line they stood at the counter.

"We have a reservation for Weaver," Kerry told the concierge, a perky blond girl whose name tag read 'Wendy'. She tapped away on a keyboard before finding the right information.

"Here we are," she announced, "one single suite, room number 504, which is on the eleventh floor. Just head down the hall to your left and take the elevator. There will be wall signs telling you where to go from there."

She tapped a small bell before opening the guest registry, then continued, "I'll just have you sign in here, and I see that you paid for five nights, so that's taken care of." She produced a set of key cards and handed them to Kerry, "Here's a key card for each of you. Do you know how to use them?"

"Yes," Kerry answered. While she thought she should take offence, Wendy seemed like a nice girl and was just being helpful. "Are we set?"

Wendy smiled "Almost, I called for a bellhop. If you want to set your stuff on the trolley right behind you, I'll have someone take it up to your room." She paused for a moment, then asked "Are you two here for the convention?"

"What convention?" grunted Sandy as she wrestled one of the larger bags onto the trolley. No doubt it probably contained all Kerry's paperwork and medical journals, which the good Doctor seemed to never leave home without.

Wendy pointed toward the far end of the lobby where the banquet hall doors sat slightly ajar. A large sign stood before them announcing the 'Lesbian Literary Society.'

Sandy furrowed her brows, "Lesbian Literary Society?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Wendy rushed, misinterpreting Sandy's expression. "I just assumed…I mean, you had a single suite and I thought you were together…" She was flustered.

"That's okay," Kerry interrupted her gently. "We are together, we're just not here for the convention."

Wendy visibly relaxed, "Oh, good. I thought I had offended you. I'm really sorry."

Sandy waved her hand, "Hey, no sweat. So what's the convention about?"

Wendy scrunched up her nose, "I'm not sure. From the Society name I gather it's for lesbian writers or readers. I think they're presenting awards and giving readings."

"Hmm," Sandy mumbled before turning toward Kerry, smiling, "You think we should check it out?"

Kerry raised her brow in response.

Sandy continued "I could whip up a quick poem. Let's see, Roses are red, Violets are blue…" She paused, deep in thought.

Wendy giggled; Kerry just rolled her eyes, "On behalf of, well, the world, I urge you to stop."

"You didn't even let me finish."

Kerry just looked at her.

"Fine," Sandy pouted, "Mock my talent. When I'm named Lesbian Literary Society's Poet of the year I'll remember this."

"Let's just find our room, okay?"

Minutes later they were standing in what appeared to be a mini apartment. There were three rooms and a small kitchenette. The walls were a light blue accented by white trim and deep blue carpeting. The first room was a large sitting room with a comfortable looking sofa and loveseat arranged around a wide coffee table. In the back corner was the kitchenette, and beyond that was a set of sliding glass doors which led to a small terrace that contained the before mentioned hot tub. Off to the left of the sitting room was a massive bedroom, with an equally large canopy bed. Off that was a rather luxurious bathroom. Next to the bathroom door sat a beautiful cherry oak vanity table complete with mirror.

The two women stood in awe for a few moments before a knock at the door brought them to attention. The bellhop had arrived with their luggage and, after receiving his tip, left quickly to attend to another guest's bags.

Before closing the door, Sandy made sure to stick the 'Don Not Disturb' sign out. After making sure the locks were engaged she turned to Kerry with a devilish grin.

"Now about that hot tub…"

End Part Four


	5. Part Five

Kerry studied herself intently in the mirror. Tonight everything had to be perfect. She had to be perfect. For two years she and Sandy had been together and tonight for the first time she was meeting her partner's family. Neither of them knew exactly why it had taken so long for introductions to be made. She guessed it was partly because Sandy's family lived in New York, and maybe partly because both she and Sandy had hectic jobs with schedules that were all over the place. They rarely got the same day off, let alone a week vacation to drive up country. Though buried deep in the back of her mind Kerry knew it was because both women hadn't been too sure their relationship would last, especially with the rocky way things had started. She had driven Sandy away twice, with the whole coming out issue, and again with her insistence that Sandy carry on their next attempt to have a baby. But somehow they had pulled through and remained together.

With each passing day Kerry fell deeper in love with the spunky firefighter, and from the way "I love you" rolled so easily off Sandy's tongue, she felt safe to say that the feeling was mutual. That was something that scared the doctor just the same. She had been married once before, and had never felt so strongly about her husband the way she felt for Sandy, she had never opened herself up to him, or let her guard down completely. She had never allowed him to see her vulnerable. Granted her first marriage had been one more out of convenience then love, she had always cared deeply for her ex. She realized it wasn't her feelings for Sandy that scared her, it was opening herself up completely without a second thought that did.

So when they had both put in and received their vacations for the same week, and Sandy had asked Kerry to drive up to New York with her to meet her family, Kerry had said yes quickly. Now, staring at herself in the hotel mirror, just minutes away from meeting her extended family, she was panicking.

"Get a hold of yourself, Kerry" she whispered. "You'll be fine. Sandy will be right there with you. If she says they'll love you, then they'll love you." She paused her self pep talk to regard her blouse. It was simple, white with pearl buttons. Any other time she thought it looked pretty good on her, but tonight it was hideous. "This shirt isn't right. It looks wrong."

Across the spacious room Sandy lifted herself off the bed where she had been laying, switching back and forth between the thousands of channels their large TV received. "It looks fine" she interjected, as she passed behind Kerry and entered the bathroom.

Kerry only half acknowledged her with a slight hand wave as she grabbed her bag and shifted through it, pulling out two more shirts. One was a simple black t-shirt with a v-neck that normally ended at just the right spot on her chest. But tonight she likened it to something those hookers down the street would wear. "Sure, I'll shake their hands, say 'Please to meet you Mom and Dad' then shove my breasts in their face. That should impress them."

"That one looks fine too. And unfortunately for me, It doesn't show hardly any of your breasts" came Sandy's reply from the bathroom doorway. She leaned against the doorframe, a smile of pure amusement painted her face as she watched her partner carry on. There was never any sense in trying to reason with Kerry when she was like this.

Ignoring her, Kerry tried the next shirt. It was a very plain powder blue t-shirt. No v-neck, just a regular collar. It hugged her in all the right places accentuating her lovely shape, but wasn't too showy. Coupled with her black dress pants, she thought she looked pretty good. "This will do" she decided, then turned to face her partner, who had left the bathroom and was now pulling Kerry into her arms.

"You look so beautiful," Sandy sighed as she gently kissed Kerry's lips, careful not to smudge either of their lipstick.

"So do you," Kerry gave her an appreciative once-over before returning her lips to Sandy's for another gentle kiss. "I love you, you know."

"Yeah, I know," Sandy smiled brightly, Grabbing Kerry's left hand with her own. Their brand new gold bands glistened from the overhead light. Sandy may have only presented them to Kerry just the other night, but she had been planning it for months. Like she said in her long rambling proposal, she knew they couldn't be "officially" married, but they could still exchange rings and sign all the appropriate papers to come as close to it as possible. She wanted to have an actual wedding ceremony, but she knew Kerry would be hesitant. She wasn't one for big to-dos. That was also something they could discuss when they got back home, along with the adoption issue.

"Come on, we should go now," she asserted, looking at Kerry's watch. "Don't worry. They'll love you, I know it."

Once again they were back in the car. In just fifteen minutes Kerry would be meeting her new relations, and she was more scared then she had ever been before. Sandy kept assuring her that it would be all right, but Kerry wasn't too sure. She was never one to create a good first impression. Just ask Susan Lewis. Hell, just ask anyone. She could be quite off-putting, she knew that, and when she tried to lighten up it just confused people. Normally how she came across to others wouldn't matter in the slightest, but this was different by far. These people were important to Sandy, so that made them important to Kerry.

"Just breath," came a reassuring voice, and Kerry's hand was lifted from her lap and pressed against her wife's loving mouth.

She smiled slightly, her nervousness apparent on her face. It was so easy for Sandy to be calm about this, though she wondered if maybe deep down the spunky Latina was equally nervous. Maybe she was just putting on a brave face for both their sakes. Kerry already knew about Sandy's grandfather. It had been the first thing they discussed when planning this trip. She knew her partner loved her grandfather dearly, and maybe it was knowing that she wouldn't be accepted by him that scared her the most. Suddenly Kerry was reminded of her own family. Her adoptive parents had been dead for years, and it saddened her to think that they'd never get to meet their new daughter. She mused that, the lesbianism angle aside, her parents would have loved Sandy. As for the lesbianism angle, she wondered what their reactions would have been.

She guessed they would have been supportive, as they had been throughout her life. They had accepted everything about her when they chose to adopt her, even though she was considered 'damaged' by most of the other foster parents she had been placed with. Meeting the Weavers had been like coming home. They had welcomed her immediately and shown her more love in one day then she had ever been given in those first nine years of her life combined. It wasn't until Sandy came along that she felt that love again.

Now here she was, forty-four years old, reliving her past. She felt just like that nine year old girl she used to be, hoping against hope that this new family would accept her.

End Part Five


	6. Part Six

The car came to a slow stop before Sandy announced they were there. Kerry was pulled from her thoughts and smiled guiltily before following her partner's lead and got out of the car.

"Well, this is it," Sandy made her way toward Kerry, hoping her nearness would relax the nervous Doctor. "this is where I grew up."

Kerry looked around, taking in all the details that, no doubt, were achingly familiar to her partner. This place was a part of Sandy's past, and Kerry felt honored to have it shared with her.

She could just imagine the young girl her wife used to be, running around the lush, well manicured lawn in her bare feet. She could almost see her climbing the old sycamore tree in the middle of the yard, and hear her childish laughter as she swung from the tire swing anchored to one of the big tree's branches. Kerry smiled at the images and suddenly wished she could have been there all those years ago.

Following the cracked and slightly overgrown stone walkway, they approached the front porch. From the way the bright white side panels glistened in the fading daylight, it was easy to tell the building had recently been treated to a new coat of paint. On both side of the steps beautiful flowers bloomed from their well cared for beds, and the air held the faintest hint of freshly cut grass.

They advanced slowly up the creaky stairs, Kerry using Sandy for support.

"It looks like they've been doing some home improvements," Sandy explained, "there are usually railings here."

They had just made it up to the landing when the door was pushed open, and an older woman stood before them. She had Sandy's same beautiful wavy hair, though grayed with age, and her face had the same dark ethnic grace that Sandy's did. Kerry at last knew where her partner received her good looks.

"You're here!" the woman pulled Sandy into a crushing hug that lasted a good five minutes. When she finally let go of her daughter, the woman stepped back and turned toward Kerry, a decidedly unreadable expression adorned her face.

"Mom," Sandy began, linking her arm with her partner's. "This is Kerry Weaver."

End Part Six


	7. Part Seven

The woman's face lit up with a dazzling smile.

"It's so good to finally meet you!" she wrapped Kerry up in her arms the same way she had her daughter.

"It's good to finally meet you too, Mrs. Lopez."

"Please, call me Pilar," she released Kerry from the crushing hug and held her at arms length, giving her the once over. "Sandy talks about you on the phone all the time. You've become quite a legend here. And you are just as lovely as she described!"

Kerry blushed and glanced over at Sandy, who was grinning from ear to ear, a look of pure pride on her face.

"I told you she'd love you."

Stepping back inside the porch, Pilar held the door open and ushered the two women in.

"Come in, come in!" she sang, then in a louder, harsher tone "Luis! Sandy and Kerry are here!"

Entering the porch, Kerry was quickly escorted through another door into a rather spacious living room. While Pilar took their coats, Kerry glanced around. The first thing she noticed was the attractive color scheme around the room. The walls were divided in two with an elegant chair-rail about a third of the way up. The top half was painted a rich cream color, while the bottom half was covered in burgundy wainscoting, which was accented by dark green trim. She made a mental note to remember the scheme should she ever want to redo a room at home.

"Please, sit down, make yourselves comfortable," Pilar instructed. "I'll just go get us some drinks and find out what's keeping your father. What would you girls like? I have lemonade, Coke, Cherry Kool-aid, and water."

"I'll have some Coke," Sandy replied.

"Kerry, Hun, what about you?"

"Coke is fine for me too." Kerry smiled taking a place next to Sandy on the rust colored love-seat.

"Alright then, I'll be right back." with that Pilar disappeared through yet another door.

Once she was gone, Sandy pressed her forehead to Kerry's.

"How are you doing, Chica?" Kerry just smirked. Sandy gave her a light kiss. "At least you made it through the first round unharmed. One down, about ten to go."

"Ten?" Kerry raised her eyebrows. "I thought it was just your parents."

"Of course not," Sandy smiled. "I brought you up here to show you off to all my family. You have to meet all three of my big brothers, their wives and girlfriends, my sister and her husband, my dad and Gramps..."

She could see the panic set in as Kerry digested the information.

"Don't worry babe, my mother is the hardest one to impress. If she likes you, which she really seemed to, then everyone else will adore you as well. The only possible exception is Gramps."

Kerry sighed. True, Pilar had been very friendly, more so then Kerry could have imagined, but she was still uneasy. She had created a few unpleasant scenarios in her head these past few days. In each one she was disliked immediately by this family, which caused Sandy to turn on her. One of her biggest fears was that they would dislike her and convince their daughter to leave her. If that were to happen, Kerry didn't know what she would do. Sandy was everything to her, and losing her would just be too much.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the thunder of several feet coming their way. A second later Pilar appeared followed by an older gentleman who one could easily guess was Sandy's father. He was short, well-built, with a dark complexion and a head of thick black hair that showed only slight traces of silver.

"How's my little Cassandra!" he asked as he stepped into the room and beckoned Sandy to him. She lifted herself off the couch and flew at him.

"Hey Papa!" Once again she was treated to a big bear hug. "I'm great, how are you doing?"

"Can't complain," he replied, then released her. "You've been gone so long, we've missed you around here. You look great," he complimented, holding her face in his hands. Spying the red headed woman just over Sandy's shoulder, he let go of his daughter and approached the love seat. "You must be Kerry." His smile was big, and he thrust his hand out to her. She stood up and shook it firmly.

"It's Nice to meet you, Mr. Lopez."

"Mr. Lopez is my father, you can just call me Luis," he let go of her hand and cocked his head to the side. "We were beginning to wonder whether you really existed or not. We thought maybe Cassandra just made you up in order to appease her mother, whose always nagging her about settling down." He laughed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's about time we got to meet the one who reined in our little girl."

Kerry could see the warmth in his eyes and felt her self relax. Her partner always had that effect on her, and it was oddly reassuring that it seemed to be a family trait. The acceptance she had received by these two souls was overwhelming, and she suddenly felt invincible.

"I'm very luck to have caught her, though I think she did some reining of her own," Kerry smiled right back at him, and then glanced over at Sandy, who blushed. Over the firefighter's shoulder, standing in the doorway, was an old man, who Kerry assumed was Oton, the grandfather. He stood there for only a moment before turning around and walking away. Kerry felt her stomach drop. She had known from the start that Oton would possibly have problems with her, but it still hurt to actually experience his rejection. The happiness she had been feeling only moments ago had suddenly dissipated, and she frowned slightly.

Sandy immediately noticed the change in Kerry's demeanor. She turned and looked in the direction her partner had and caught just a glimpse of her grandfather's back before he disappeared into his bedroom, his door closed firmly behind him. Sandy could feel the anger build up inside of her. How could he be so rude? If he loved her as much as he claimed to, how could he bring such a frosty reception to her and her loved one. She was going to have to have a talk with him later, she vowed.

End Part Seven


	8. Part Eight

Everyone took a seat around the living room. Kerry and Sandy stayed on the loveseat, while Pilar and Luis sat on the sofa across from them. A small serving tray sat between them on the elegant stained oak coffee table, which held several glasses, a jug of Coke, and a pitcher of Kool-aid.

"So, Kerry, Cassandra tells us you're a Doctor?" Luis, after firm instructions from his wife, took a glass and poured a generous amount of Coke into it, then handed it to the red head in question.

"That's right," Kerry took the glass and smiled her thanks. "I'm an Emergency Doctor at Cook County General Hospital back in Chicago."

"Don't be so modest," Sandy lightly patted her arm, then turned toward her parents. "She was the Chief Of Emergency Medicine, and was recently promoted to Chief Of Staff." No one failed to notice the pride in the fire fighter's voice as she spoke.

Kerry blushed and fidgeted with her glass. She was glad that Sandy thought so highly of her, but if she kept up the constant praise, the Lopez family would think she thought too much of herself.

"Wow," Pilar smiled. "I always hoped Sandy would meet a rich Doctor."

They all chuckled at that, and then there was a quiet pause.

"So what do you two do?" Kerry asked, trying to keep up the flow of conversation. She sensed Mr. and Mrs. Lopez were as nervous as her, and that somehow left her feeling both relieved and anxious.

"I'm an architect, I work with a company that builds office buildings and shopping centers," Luis informed her.

"Don't forget the most important building you worked on," Sandy wagged her finger at him, then turned to her wife. "He designed and built the big play-house out back. You have to see it. It's like a mansion for tykes. We all used to play in it when we were kids. Used to invite friends over and have sleep-overs."

"You'll have to give me the grand tour later," Kerry laughed affectionately. Sandy's face was glowing with the happy memories, and she spoke like an excited child. Bringing the conversation back on track, Kerry smiled at her partner's mother, "What do you do Pilar?"

"Just about everything," The older woman waved her hand. "Thursday's I give tours at the children's museum, and I'm a substitute teacher for the local elementary school. I adore children. That's probably why we had so many of our own. Well, maybe that and other reasons." The older couple exchanged flirtatious grins.

"Ugh, please" Sandy mocked. "Do I need to separate you two?"

"Hey," Pilar replied, good naturedly, "This is our house, we can be all lovey-dovey if we want"

Kerry smiled at their banter, feeling a tad homesick for her own parents and the way they used to share a similar routine. She recalled one instance while she was still in med school, she had spent the night at her parents house and had gotten up early the next day. Walking into the kitchen she had caught her parents standing over the eggs kissing. She had cleared her throat and told them to get a room. Her mother had lightly swatted her behind and laughed, saying that Kerry might think their affection was gross now, but someday when she was in her own committed relationship, she'd understand. Her mother was right. Not only did she understand, but that memory of her parents necking in the kitchen was one of her favorites. It was nice to remember them being in love, especially when her own first marriage ended in divorce.

"Anyway," Pilar continued, patting her husband's hand affectionately, "We love children, and are just counting down the days until we become grandparents. Did Sandy tell you that her brother Miguel and his wife Maria are expecting twins?"

"No," Kerry glanced at Sandy, wondering why her wife hadn't shared this information with her.

"Twins? That's a joke, right?," When no response to the affirmative was given, Sandy frowned. "I talk to him every other week and he never mentioned anything to me about having a baby, much less twins. How long have they known?"

Pilar and Luis exchanged worried glances.

"For awhile now," Luis replied. "Maybe they thought you already knew? Miguel probably assumed we told you."

"So how come you haven't said anything to me until now?"

"We assumed he told you."

Kerry could feel the tension in the room, and tried to change the subject.

"So, Sandy tells me the whole family is coming," she glanced from parents to daughter. "When were you expecting everyone?"

"Any minute now," Pilar smiled thankfully at Kerry, no doubt grateful for the topic change. Sandy was having none of it though.

"Does the rest of the family know?" she asked tensely. She was upset. She couldn't imagine what reason her brother would have for not telling her his good news. They were as close as siblings could get despite living miles and miles away from each other. They always told each other everything. She was the first to know of his engagement to Maria, and he was the first person she had come out to.

"We don't know who they've told," her mother replied diplomatically. The furtive glance she shared with her husband belied her words.

"You're just trying to cover for him," Sandy crossed her arms angrily. "Am I the only one not in on it?"

"Cassandra, it's probably just a simple misunderstanding"

"Oh don't give me that," She stood up. "They've been trying to have a baby forever. I think they'd be excited to tell anyone, whether they thought they already knew or not!"

Kerry stayed quiet. She felt uncomfortable with this whole situation and wished for a distraction, which was granted a moment later when an unfamiliar voice called out a cheerful hello, followed by the entrance of a young couple.

Upon entering, the couple stopped, their smiles fading as they sensed the tension in the room. Kerry studied the new arrivals. The young woman was petite and quite attractive. She had Sandy's facial features, and the same thick hair. She knew without a doubt that this was Corina, Sandy's sister. That would make the man Corina's husband, Jeff. He was large with broad shoulders and thick arms. He was what most people described as football player shaped. He was also light skinned like Kerry. She remembered Sandy mentioning something about another family tiff that was created when Corina had decided to marry Jeff, and not a Latino man like the family expected. Much like with Sandy's lesbianism, there had been resistance at first, but they had come around in the end. Even Oton was able to accept Jeff into the family, even though he still hadn't accepted Sandy's lifestyle, and most likely wouldn't accept Kerry.

"Hey guys," Corina smiled slightly, her face puzzled. "What's going on?"

End Part Eight


End file.
